Sensorimotor learning of facial expressions: A novel intervention for autism Project Summary This application addresses broad Challenge Area (04): Clinical Research, and specific Challenge Topic 04-MH-101 Autism: Addressing the challenge: Novel interventions. Children with Autism Spectrum Disorders (ASD) are impaired in their ability to produce and perceive dynamic facial expressions (Adolphs, Sears, and Piven, 2001). Advanced computer vision technologies can now be leveraged in the investigation of issues such as the facial expression recognition and production deficits common to children with autism spectrum disorder (ASD). Not only can these technologies assist in quantifying these deficits, but they can also be used as part of interventions aimed at reducing deficit severity. In this project, automated facial expression recognition will be employed for the development of training exercises for facial expression production in children with ASD. Previous research by Tanaka and Schultz developed the Let's Face It! intervention tool shown to effectively improve the face processing abilities of children with ASD. Let's Face It! focused on perception but not production. Bartlett and Movellan have developed the Computer Expression Recognition Toolbox (CERT), a computer vision system which measures 37 facial expression dimensions in real-time. This project brings together these two research groups in order to develop a computer assisted intervention system to enhance the social communication skills of children with Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD). The computer vision tool enables novel interventions that focus on facial expression production. Intervention games will be developed to provide automated feedback on facial expressions produced by children with ASD in an engaging and cost- effective manner. In addition to improving production skills, practice with facial expression production may also improve perception skills by linking motor production with perception. The intervention exercises developed here will include closed-loop sensorimotor expression training in which subjects both see and produce facial expressions, and then view the effects of their facial expressions in the games. This project will also characterize facial expression production of children with ASD in a battery of assessment tasks, including automated facial expression measurement with CERT. Upon completion, this project will contribute to our understanding of facial expression production in children with ASD, provide a new intervention tool for facial expression production, and provide data on the efficacy of the intervention. The intervention system proposed here could have tremendous impact on social development in any patient population with atypical facial expression production, including ASD, and attention deficit disorder. The project will also contribute to the understanding of the development and learning of motor skills essential to social functioning. Sensorimotor learning of facial expressions: A novel Intervention for autism Project Narrative Automated facial expression recognition technology opens new possibilities for clinical research, assessment, and intervention systems. Integration of such technology in clinical research is both timely and crucial. The intervention system proposed here could have tremendous impact on social development in any patient population with atypical facial expression production, including ASD, and attention deficit disorder. The project will also contribute to the understanding of the development and learning of motor skills essential to social functioning.